BRIGHT STARS
TRANSIT TIMES
This table shows the time (ET) and altitude of a star as it transits the meridian (i.e., reaches its highest elevation while passing over the horizon's south point) at Boston on the dates shown. The transit time on any other date differs from that of the nearest date listed by approximately 4 minutes per day. To find the time of a star's transit for your location, convert its time at Boston using Key Letter C (see Time Corrections, page 238).
STAR |
CONSTELLATION |
MAGNITUDE |
TIME OF TRANSIT (ET) BOLD = P.M. LIGHT = A.M. JAN. 1 MAR. 1 MAY 1 JULY 1 SEPT. 1 NOV. 1 |
ALTITUDE (DEGREES) |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Altair | Aquila | 0.8 | 12:50 | 8:58 | 5:58 | 1:58 | 9:50 | 5:50 | 56.3 |
| Deneb | Cygnus | 1.3 | 1:40 | 9:48 | 6:48 | 2:48 | 10:40 | 6:41 | 92.8 |
| Fomalhaut | Psc. Aus. | 1.2 | 3:56 | 12:04 | 9:04 | 5:04 | 1:01 | 8:57 | 17.8 |
| Algol | Perseus | 2.2 | 8:06 | 4:14 | 1:14 | 9:15 | 5:11 | 1:11 | 88.5 |
| Aldebaran | Taurus | 0.9 | 9:34 | 5:42 | 2:42 | 10:42 | 6:38 | 2:38 | 64.1 |
| Rigel | Orion | 0.1 | 10:12 | 6:20 | 3:20 | 11:20 | 7:16 | 3:17 | 39.4 |
| Capella | Auriga | 0.1 | 10:15 | 6:23 | 3:23 | 11:23 | 7:19 | 3:19 | 93.6 |
| Bellatrix | Orion | 1.6 | 10:23 | 6:31 | 3:31 | 11:31 | 7:27 | 3:27 | 54.0 |
| Betelgeuse | Orion | var. 0.4 | 10:52 | 7:01 | 4:01 | 12:01 | 7:57 | 3:57 | 55.0 |
| Sirius | Can. Maj. | -1.4 | 11:42 | 7:50 | 4:50 | 12:50 | 8:47 | 4:47 | 31.0 |
| Procyon | Can. Min. | 0.4 | 12:40 | 8:44 | 5:44 | 1:45 | 9:41 | 5:41 | 52.9 |
| Pollux | Gemini | 1.2 | 12:46 | 8:51 | 5:51 | 1:51 | 9:47 | 5:47 | 75.7 |
| Regulus | Leo | 1.4 | 3:09 | 11:13 | 8:13 | 4:13 | 12:10 | 8:10 | 59.7 |
| Spica | Virgo | var. 1.0 | 6:25 | 2:33 | 11:29 | 7:30 | 3:26 | 11:26 | 36.6 |
| Arcturus | Boötes | -0.1 | 7:15 | 3:23 | 12:24 | 8:20 | 4:16 | 12:16 | 66.9 |
| Antares | Scorpius | var. 0.9 | 9:29 | 5:37 | 2:37 | 10:33 | 6:30 | 2:30 | 21.3 |
| Vega | Lyra | 0 | 11:36 | 7:44 | 4:44 | 12:44 | 8:36 | 4:36 | 86.4 |
RISE AND SET TIMES
To find the time of a star's rising at Boston on any date, subtract the interval shown at right from the star's transit time on that date; add the interval to find the star's setting time. To find the rising and setting times for your city, convert the Boston transit times above using the Key Letter shown at right before applying the interval (see Time Corrections, page 238). Deneb, Algol, Capella, and Vega are circumpolar stars—they never set but appear to circle the celestial north pole.
